Matthew Haggart

Southland Institute of Technology claims it is an "innocent bystander," caught in a backlash from Wanaka residents protesting Treble Cone skifield's 2008 ski season pass prices.

Confirmation of resource consent for a $16.6 million gondola planned for the Cardrona Valley, near Wanaka, arrived for father and son team John and Sam Lee yesterday evening.

The release of the official decision on whether Cardrona Valley skifield pioneers the Lee family can proceed with a $16.6 million alpine gondola near Wanaka has been further delayed.

Northburn Station owner and merino farmer Tom Pinckney is diversifying.

Tearaway triathlete Aaron Barclay (15), of Gore High School, maintained his individual success at the Otago-Southland secondary schools triathlon championships at Cromwell yesterday.

An old and ineffective flood protection structure is scheduled to be removed from the Matukituki River by the Otago Regional Council (ORC) next summer.

Clutha Environmental Society president Julian Haworth said he would be resigning from his position tomorrow if an appeal was not lodged against the Parkins Bay resource consent decision.

‘‘A great feeling of relief'' is how Glendhu Station landowners Bob and Pam McRae described the decision to approve their Parkins Bay golf resort dream.

Police in Otago are stepping up their campaign targeting the dangerous driving practices of corner-cutting, centre-line crossing, and driving on the wrong side of the road.

Consent is being sought to develop a residential subdivision on an 8.4ha site on Cardrona Valley Rd.

A community-based native plant nursery will be established in Wanaka to help pave the way for reforestation projects around the Upper Clutha, as part of a year-long plan by community organisation the Te Kakano Aotearoa Trust.

Final closure for the family and people investigating the disappearance of English tramper Derek Hawkins will not come until a date is set for a coroner's inquest in Queenstown.

Central Otago remains in the grip of an indian summer, with fine autumn weather and low rainfall causing a drop in lake levels and river flows, predominantly across the Upper Clutha region.

The Wanaka Bowling Club officially opened its allweather artificial green yesterday.  However, as a new chapter of the club's history was opened another was closed.